Portrait of a new cultural capital

A number of the world’s most famous galleries have signed up to Abu Dhabi’s $27 billion artistic vision

How the Louvre Abu Dhabi will look when finished in 2013 (Handout)
Offshoots of two of the world’s most compelling and important museums and
galleries, the Louvre and the Guggenheim, housed in impressive modern
buildings, are at the centre of Abu Dhabi’s plans for a monumental cultural
district.

The $27 billion Saadiyat Island project is more ambitious than any other in
the world, bringing together the artistic legacy of millenniums under a
series of striking 21st-century roofs.

The project is not without controversy. Critics accuse the emirate of buying
in culture rather than exploring its own artistic legacy. But as part of the
government’s economic plan, tourism is earmarked for growth and Saadiyat
Island is already under pressure to deliver, even though its first museum
opening is two years away.

Commenting before next month’s second annual Abu Dhabi Art Fair, Sheikh Sultan
bin Tahnoon al-Nahyan, chairman of the Tourism Development and Investment
Company (TDIC) and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, said: “The
cultural map is evolving, and today Abu Dhabi and the UAE are at the
crossroads of these cultural and artistic intersections.”

But is there enough interest to put Abu Dhabi on the global art map? The
roster of proposed museums certainly whets the appetite, not least for its
A-list architects. Frank Gehry will bring his signature angular style to the
450,000 sq ft Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, while France’s Jean Nouvel is behind the
mushroom-like dome for the emirate’s branch of the Louvre. Norman Foster
pipped his peers to the post for the Zayed National Museum, with the design
due to be unveiled shortly; and fellow Brit Zaha Hadid is responsible for
the Performing Arts Centre. Japan’s Tadao Ando designed the Maritime Museum.

Gehry, who originally turned down the Abu Dhabi project, has caused a minor
furore with his disparaging comments on the value of sustainable design
ranking systems, such as the US-based Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design programme, which he called bogus. He later clarified his views in an
interview with Business Week, saying that what he disliked was the
“fetishisation” of sustainable design and the whole greenwashing movement
with its dubious PR motives.

As Abu Dhabi has loudly proclaimed its investment in and commitment to the
green agenda, with the launch of its Estidama (sustainability) guidelines,
Gehry’s Guggenheim is expected to offer more than a token green gesture. How
this will affect construction costs remains unclear, however, as TDIC isn’t
revealing figures for the individual projects. Media reports vary wildly
from $1 billion to $4 billion. Rita Aoun-Abdo, director of TDIC’s cultural
department, is equally reserved when commenting on the finer points of Abu
Dhabi’s financial partnership with the Louvre and Guggenheim brands. There
was outrage in France when Abu Dhabi signed the Louvre deal, with protesters
envisaging a bubble-wrapped Mona Lisa being carted off to the desert.

But, as Aoun-Abdo explains, it is all about long-term cultural exchange rather
than a Pink Panther-esque heist. France benefited to the tune of $1.3bn,
most of which secured rights to the name and services for 30 years, with
$247m allocated for some 300 artworks lent by esteemed French museums (Mona
Lisa not included).

Julia Ibbini, the founder of Abu Dhabi-based art collective Fanaan, laughs off
suggestions that the emirate is paying to import culture. “I think people
can be too cynical about these things, as there are clearly easier and more
commercially driven approaches that could highlight a destination other than
using art and culture.”

She cites the exhibition of works from US collector Larry Gagosian at the
Manarat Al Saadiyat gallery, which runs until January 24. “I felt incredibly
privileged to be able to go and see some of his collection, Ibbini said.
“Having grown up here, I’ve seen how far Abu Dhabi has come from a little
desert town to what it is today, and in the last couple of years residents
and visitors had the opportunity to experience artists as varied as Picasso,
Cy Twombly, Richard Serra and Andy Warhol. Abu Dhabi is offering vast new
opportunities for art from the region to be shown on an international stage.
The three museums of the Cultural District will be part of a holistic
programme of arts that have been in effervescence for the last years in Abu
Dhabi.”

TDIC forecasts that the 270-hectare cultural district will attract 1.5m
visitors a year upon completion in 2018. Up-and-coming artists from across
the Middle East will also have the opportunity to show their works, says
Aoun-Abdo. “These museums will be transnational and universal.”

Julia Ibbini is encouraged. “What is increasingly clear is that momentum
towards the development of an arts scene has been building over the past few
years and, while opportunities for locally based artists are still limited,
I believe it is just a matter of time before more projects and events become
a regular feature in the capital. I am very hopeful that the planned
cultural district surrounding the Louvre and Guggenheim will also allow for
space to show locally based artists.”

One of the most frequently asked questions is that of censorship. TDIC
broached the subject last May, with a Picasso retrospective of 183 works,
including nudes. The exhibition was well received, Aoun-Abdo says. “There
are no restrictions in the museums’ agreements on the nature of the work
that can be shown. It will be the responsibility of the museums’ curators
and experts to address any cultural sensitivity that may arise in relation
to any of the works. We should remember that these museums are based on the
principle of a dialogue of culture rather than a culture shock,” she says.

Zayed National Museum
Opening: 2013. Architect: Norman Foster.
The home of the UAE’s heritage exploring the story of the late ruler Sheikh
Zayed to the present day.